Counting down with some holiday fun

Oh we are counting and counting and waiting and waiting...the thrill of the lights, the presents, the candy, the cookies beyond their wildest dreams.  What joy to see this holiday through their eyes....

The tree tale...it's a long one

A simple request by mom this year...
"I'd like a BIG Christmas tree this year".
Dad-"Okay sure...anything to make you happy."
How sweet is he?
So off we go to the cut your own tree farm for our annual tradition.  Our usual farm is taking a year off for  regrowth so we found another that was a bit off the beaten path but looked like fun.  Oh it was fun!
They had tons and tons of trees and a big map with the different varieties all marked.  A hayride to the cutting area and the much loved saw for Daddy.
Van and Zak decided that if Mom wanted a GIANT tree then they would insist on a teenie tiny tree.  We searched and we searched.  Van cried and cried over us not picking his Charlie Brown choice.  One of the employees actually let Van cut off some branches of "his" tree and wrapped them for him to take home to add to ours...it was beyond sweet.  Of course Zak had to get in on the action and do the same.
Daddy found THE ONE.  It was fuller then full and looked big so he started to chop.  It was a quick process and once she fell we knew she was a big one.  Several employees came by and remarked about the size of the tree.  Several families came by and remarked about the size of the room we must have to hold the tree.  It took several guys to heft the tree onto the hayride.  We were super excited...we had done it, found the BIG tree.
So big it turns out that it won't fit through the bailer.  So big that the owners keep trying to convince Scott to go home and get a pick up truck to haul it...no we don't own a pick up truck.  But apparently they thought we should since we bought this giant tree.
After much discussion about what to do, we made the call to hurl it on top of the mini van and tie it down and be on our way.  How bad could it be?
The boys were beyond excited, we were ready to get it home.  And then we started to drive...wow wind makes the tree move alot on the roof of the car.  So we stop and readjust and then we drive and then we stop and readjust...you are probably getting the picture now.  Boys fall asleep and mom hangs out of the sunroof while holding the giant tree down against the wind.  People honk their horns at us, people take photos of us.  I am sure we are posted on You tube somewhere as the crazy Christmas family.
We finally make it home and see that our tree stand will never ever hold this tree and we will never ever be able to get it in the house without some assistance.  Call the neighbor manly men and invite them for beer and tree slinging and run to hardware store for biggest tree stand they sell.
Wrangle tree into stand and burly strong men start hauling and pushing it through the front door.  Where is that french door I always dream of having?
We get it in the "tree room" so now we just need to prop it up in the stand and stand back to admire right?
Well, the brand new tree stand starts cracking at we lift and place, the tree is tilting and bending at the ceiling...9 ft tree, 9 ft. ceiling.  Bolts are installed in the wall and string is tied and tied around the giant tree.   We water and we wait.  We get towels ready..."just in case".  One hour later, I peek in the room and see the lean then we hear it coming down.   We are actually relieved that at least we were awake for the crash.  Go to bed and brainstorm a plan.   Yes, we can chop off "a little" on the bottom, fit it in our old stand and it will still be awesome and big and fat and tall...well...maybe not so tall after all...Daddy was determined to get it standing this time.

But it stands up, it stays standing and we haul away 3 feet of greenery and stump.  We have our tree and she is a perfect...just like our tree tale adventure and our crazy decorators!